Picture mount or the like and method for making the same



De. 14,1937. QNCROSS 2,102,519

PICTURE MOUNT OR THE LIKE AND METHOD FOR MAKING TH SAME Filed Aug. 14, 17936 rwc/vvm .3 12 61442420 /KCeos Patented Dec. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PICTUREMOUNT OR THE LIKE AND METH- OD FOR MAKING THE SAME photograph or picture mounts and frames which will be sturdy in use and which will protect a photograph therein against dirt and damage, and which may be manufactured from inexpensive materials with great facility and at minimum expense. I v

Further and important objects and advantages of the invention either' Will be explained hereinafter, or will become Vapparent from a reading of the specification With *reference to the draw- .ing in which:

Fig. l is a progressiveassembly VView of the various elements comprisingthe mount;

Fig. 2 is a progressive assembly view illustrating advanced stages of manufacture;

Fig. 3 showsthe back of a completed mount; Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on lines 4-"4 of Fig. 3; and d f Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5--5 of Figli?.V

:The mount or frame comprising this invention includesV a backboard III; a marginalv spacing member I2,a face-board I3, and a face-board inlay 2U. The backboard Ill is Aasingle sheet rof Wood, cardboard, paper stock, composition Wood, metal, celluloid, or other suitable material. The remaining elements I2, I3, and 2li, comprising the completed frame, may be constructed of any one or a combination of such materials as hereinabove indicated vvith reference to the baclzboard I0, and it is to be understood that any of the known suitable materials Amay be utilized in the construction ofA anyone or all of the elements constituting the mount.`

The marginal spacing member I2 is of such size as to coincide with themarginal edges of the backboard I. The marginalspacing member I2 is cut out along the lines I Itoprovide a space or well for a picture and a suitable sheet of transparent material to protect the picture. f The face-board I3, also coincident in areawith the backboard Ill and the marginalspacing member I2, is provided with a cut-out portion so that only a small marginal portion of the same remains. AThe backboard III, the marginal spacing member I2, and Vthe face-board I3, are bound together along all four marginal edges by means of an ladhesively attached binding member I4 whichmay be artificial leather, coated paper stock, or other'suitable flexible material,

A face-,board inlay member 20 having a margin to conform closely to the contour of the cut-out in the face-board I3, is provided with a picture display Window 2 I, the margins of which lie within the margins of the Well in the marginal spacing member I2. The face-board inlay 25 may be suitably decorated by printing, stamping, or otherwise placing on the face thereof decorative designs such as indicated at 22. The face-board inlay member 20 is suitably affixed to the'faceboard I3 or to the marginal spacing member I2 as by gluing, or otherwise.

. In order to provide means for inserting a'photograph or picture into the mount, there is provided an opening in the backboard IIL In the preferred practice of this invention a picture inserting flap is formed in the backboard III by cuttingthe backboard along three lines I6 to constitute a ap 25 which may be swung outwardly on score lines I5 along the fourth side of the flap.' The flap 25 may be held in closedposition bymeans of one or more latch members comprisingal latch grommet I'I, having at one end thereof a latch finger I8. The grommet I'I may be'seated in either the backboard IIJ or in both the backboard Ill and the marginalv spacing member I2, but in any event it does not extend through the faceboard inlay member ZI.

The appearance of the mount may be enhanced by covering the back thereof with artiiicial leather or coated paper stock 23, although this 'is not essential.

In manufacturing this mountY it has been found that the following sequence of steps can be followed to great advantage. The backboard I0, the cut-out marginal spacing member I2, and the face-board I3, are assembled in the order indicated and are either initially ofthe same size so that the marginal edges thereof coincide, or if this is not the case they may be cut to the same dimensions after being assembled.

The three elements I0, I2, and I3, are then bound together to form a unitary structurefby means of adhesively attaching a flexible binding sheet I4 over the outer surface of the face-board I3, over all four edges of the face-board I3, over the edges of then-larginal spacing member I2, overthe edges of backboard Ill, over the margins of backboard I0 and against the rear surface thereof.V A Y After the boards have been assembled and bound together, the face-board I3 is cut out so that the remaining marginal DDrtions thereof dene a predetermined design. Such designs Vpicture inserting iiap 25.

may be ovals, rectangles, or rounded corner cutouts, such as shown in the drawing.

After the face-board I3 has been cut out, the backboard I IJ is scored along the lines YI5 and is cut through along the lines I6 to provide the At the same time the llap latch comprising the latch linger I8 and the latch grommet I'I is placedin position.

A sheet of transparent material I9, such as glass, now may be placed in the'well in the marginal spacing member I2, although, if desired, the transparent sheet I9 may be inserted under theflap 25 at any time afterl the mount" to t closely the'edges of thecut-out portion inf The face-board inlay'mem-YV ber 20 is then assembled with theV mount andthe face-board I3.

suitably aixed theretov as by adhesively attaching the Vsame to the marginal spacing member I2 or to the edges ofthe cut-out in the faceboard I3. The inlay 20 is customarily not affixed by the manufacturer, but is soldto the photographer in unassembled condition to facilitate his use of the mount. When so received, the photographer inserts the photograph-through the front of the mount before aiiixing the inlay. The ap 25 in the backboard maybe used for subsequent removal and insertion of the photograph. Y

It is also contemplated that the cut-out in the face-board I3 Ymay be smaller than the well in the marginal spacing member I2 so thatY the edges thereof will overlie the edges .of the well sufliciently far to` provide in themselves holding means for a picture and its transparent protective covering. Thus the inlay 2li-may beA eliminated.

It is understood, of course, that this mount may bev provided with Vany of the conventional means for supporting the same, such as an easel attached to` the back thereof.

From the above description itY willappear that this invention contemplated a picture mount whichcomprises a plurality of relatively independent superimposed elements which are bound together only by the ilexible binding member4 I4, thus producing a mount possessing aconsiderable degree of flexibility. In picture mountsV heretofore known, the'face-board has been subjected to considerable pressure, and by virtue thereof theseV prior devices were often broken or damaged while inserting a sheet of glass or picture. Those which escapeddamage during this operation often lost their shape because of stress and strain of the picture and transparent medium enclosed in them. These objections are overcome by the present Vinvention due to the flexibility of the mount obtained by merely binding the superimposed elements together into a unit by means of the flexible binding I4'.

Furthermore, it will be seen that the mount is completely closed along its four edges and the interior thereof is accessible only through the opening in the backboard which is normally tightly closed by means of theflap 25. Thus there is no opportunity for an accumulation of dirt and dust in the interior of the frame, and consequently the picture held for display therein is perfectly protected against damage.

In so far as the method of manufacture is concerned, it will be seen that the steps comprise a a suitableV series of very simple operations and permit the manufacture fof a mount with a variety of contrasting or ornamental'inlay members.

A very useful modication of the invention is effected by joining a backboard IS to a faceboard I3, along all four marginal edges by means of an adhesively Vattached binding member I4, and cutting out the face-board I3 so that the remaining marginal portions thereof define a predetermined design, as in the case of the prinvcipal embodiment hereinabove described. Inn stead of providing a face-board inlay 2D having therein a picture window 2| as in the principal v embodiment, YVa transparentA medium, such as -gla-ss, may be provided to conform to the inner edges ofV the face-'board cut-out. Such transparent member may be suitably decorated marginally` and `may be attached along its edges to the face-board I3 or to the backboard I0 by any suitable means such as by gluing.

receiving well in said spacing member, a picture window inlay lying in theV facial plane of said face-board and having its outer margins overlying the inwardly extending portions of said spacing member and its inner margins overlying a portion of said picture receiving well, said f backboard, spacing memberiandrface-board having coincident outer marginal edges, and means securing said members together.

2; A picture mount or frame comprising .a

backboard, a cut-out face-board, a marginal spacing member extending vinwardly beyondthe edges of Vthe cut-out in said face-board interposed between said backboard and said faceboard, a picture Vreceiving well in said spacing member, a faceboard inlay having a picture window smaller than said well and having marginal edges Aadapted to contact the margins of the cut-out in said face-board, said backboard, spacing member and face-board having co-incident outer marginal edges, and means securing said 1 members together. .Y

3. A picture mount or frame comprising a backboard, aV cutout face-board, a spacing member extending inwardly beyond the'edges of the cut-out in said face-board interposed between said backboard and said face-board, a picture receiving well in said Vspacing member, a picture window inlay lying in the facial plane of said face-board'and having its outer margins overlying the inwardly extending portions of said spacing member and its inner margins overlying a portion of said picture receiving Well, means in said backboard for inserting a picture or the like in said frame, said backboard, spacing member and face-board having coincident outer marginal edges, and means securing said members together.

4. A picture mount or Yframe comprising Aa backboard, a cut-out 'face-board, a spacing member extending inwardly beyondthe edges of the backboard, a cut-out face-board, a marginal cut-out in said face-board interposed between said backboard and saidface-board, a flexible binding member dispo-sed over the marginal edges of said backboard, face-board, and spacing member whereby said members are sealed about their edges, a vpicture receiving well in said spacing member, a picture window inlay lying in the facial plane of said face-board and having its outer margins overlying the inwardly extending portions of said spacing member and its inner margins overlying a portion lof said picture receiving well, said backboard, spacing member and face-board having coincident outer marginal edges, and means securing said members together.

5. In a picture mount or frame comprising a spacing member interposed between said backboard and said face-board, a flexible binding member disposed over the marginal edges of said backboard, face-board, and spacing member whereby the same are sealed about their edges, a picture receiving well in said spacing member, a face-board inlay having a picture window smaller than said well and adapted to fit the cutout in said face-board, an aperture in said backboard extending substantially across the Width thereof, a closure for said aperture adapted to swing on score lines in said backboard, and

vmeans for normally retaining said closure in closed position.

CARROLL N. CROSS. 

